Memoir Authors discussion

Hi everyone. I am stuck and despite asking advice from family and friends no nearer to a decision.

My memoir is complete but with a problem. I cannot decide on a Title.
The story ranges from my childhood to deep sea fishing in the North Atlantic to living in apartheid South Africa.
Then it moves onto my experiences in countries like Mali and Angola.
my working Title is ROSIES BOY. My mother and I.
Any ideas or suggestions?

How about: "David vs. The World Goliath"? Sounds like you've been there, done that. Good luck!

Don't know if this is meant tongue in cheek Billy. The first two chapters concern the families struggles together, thats why I gave it that title. The rest of the story she dosen't feature.

David wrote: "Hi everyone. I am stuck and despite asking advice from family and friends no nearer to a decision.

My memoir is complete but with a problem. I cannot decide on a Title.
The story ranges from my ch...". Yes, titles can be hard. I'm having a hard time I with my subtitle. I'd suggest you determine what your book is about. You mention environments but not the narrative arc. How did your experiences in those amazing places change you? What was going on with YOU? Do you have a synopsis? I used one of my chapter titles as the book title because it fit the metaphorical description of the entire experience. The subtitle then clarifies further, also setting the tone, which in my case is humorous. Good luck! Let us know what you decide.

David wrote: "Don't know if this is meant tongue in cheek Billy. The first two chapters concern the families struggles together, thats why I gave it that title. The rest of the story she dosen't feature."
Meant seriously, just a suggestion. Only a shot in the dark considering your short description. Yes, titles are tough to choose. Good luck!

I like Rosie's Boy... What's wrong with that?

But not having read a few chapters, or the whole thing, it's tough for a stranger to give you a title

Maybe something showing the strength it took to leave your country of origin, all you knew, leaving it behind, to see what life had to offer?

Maybe "Leaving It All Behind"?

Thanks everyone for your replies. I am leaning more and more to Rosies Boy as the final title. After all it is more about her boys memories than anything else.

If you go to a publishing house, they may want to change the title, might even come up with a good one! (Or bad. I've seen titles that make me wonder what the heck they were thinking

You're probably correct Meran, Rosie's Boy sounds good. One reason I say that is because more than a few people tell me my book can't sell because my titles are too long. On the other hand some like the title of my first book. Next book I'll make the title short.

Robert wrote: "You're probably correct Meran, Rosie's Boy sounds good. One reason I say that is because more than a few people tell me my book can't sell because my titles are too long. On the other hand some lik..." I've seen some successful long titles. Something that seems to work well is a short title paired with a longer subtitle. That's what I've noticed a lot and plan to do myself. My title is short and catchy; the subtitle briefly summarizes the narrative arc and answers the question "WHAT does THAT (whimsical title) mean?" I've spent hours and hours working on it.

Titles/subtitles are very important and need to convey the essence
of the book. Rosie's Boy sounds to me like a book about a mother-son relationship.